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"Gimme" putts in league play.


TJBam
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Venting here.  I am not in said league, but my partner and I on Sunday morning were paired up with two 20-21 HCPers who told us off the bat that they were playing a league game and that they'd be playing strictly by the rules.  My bud and I said no problem, we also play it by the book.

So we get to the first green and lo and behold, a putter head is sunk into the hole, stretched out, and I hear "inside the leather?"  "yeah bud that's good."  My partner and I look at each other in disbelief as this guy takes almost a 3 foot "gimme" for bogey.  Keep in mind the putter is pretty dang long.

The round gets more interesting as these two get neck-and-neck near the 17th. The round gets even more interesting as we realize that not only are they playing "inside the leather" but one of the guys' putters is giving him at least a foot more "gimme" room than the other.

I brought this up as they were measuring a gimme putt (which takes more time than just sinking it in the first place.)  When shorter-putter guy ended up 1" short of a gimme, I suggested he uses his partner's putter to measure the gimme so he could pick up.  The gentlemen were not entertained.

My partner mentioned to one of the guys that he'd like more information on the league.  I deadpanned to my bud "Pal you might want to get a belly putter before you join that league."  The men were again not entertained but I laughed myself off the green after shaking hands.

End rant.

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Strictly by the rules. Maybe some leagues are truly rule following, but seems like most I hear about are a joke. I play by the rules in my league, much to the chagrin of those I play with who tell me "winter rules" "that's good" etc. If I played like they do my league hc would be single digits, but who is that helping? It doesn't make me play better, which is the end goal.

KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

Strictly by the rules. Maybe some leagues are truly rule following, but seems like most I hear about are a joke. I play by the rules in my league, much to the chagrin of those I play with who tell me "winter rules" "that's good" etc. If I played like they do my league hc would be single digits, but who is that helping? It doesn't make me play better, which is the end goal.

The best part is that their "inside the leather" rule gave at least a foot advantage on gimmes to the guy with the longer putter.  Hence my belly putter and "measure it with the other guy's putter" comments.

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True, if they use any "rule" like that it should be a standard length... But if you are going to make your own rules then who really cares at that point.

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KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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I'm with you, if they hadn't so proudly stated it in the beginning I wouldn't have cared but that's a joke.  They were actually measuring the putts with their putters?  I didn't know people actually did that..

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Originally Posted by Jeremie Boop

Strictly by the rules. Maybe some leagues are truly rule following, but seems like most I hear about are a joke. I play by the rules in my league, much to the chagrin of those I play with who tell me "winter rules" "that's good" etc. If I played like they do my league hc would be single digits, but who is that helping? It doesn't make me play better, which is the end goal.

My league is the same way. For most of the guys, it's just a way for them to get out of the house every once and a while and throw back a few beers... so I don't mind them taking their "gimmes" and rolling their ball around in a bad lie. Ultimately, I'm just focused on improving my game and working on my own handicap. Of course, I also enjoy throwing a few back and lettin' loose.

In the Bag:
:titleist: 913 D3 - 9.5* - Diamana Stiff 62g
:mizuno: MP 64s 3-PW - DGS300
:cleveland: CG12 52* & 56*
:tmade: Rosa

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I play in a league and we are all allowed to concede putts to our opponents just to keep up pace of play. My partner will concede putts in the 3-4 foot range left and right and it drives me NUTS. No one is giving me any putts.

Never concede a putt - Sam Snead

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Our league to is generous with gimmies... I am not a fan, putt them out is my motto and I do. The league rule was "within the leather" as well but most abuse that "rule" and do what you say and stick the head of the putter in the hole and measure that way. The "real" way was the actual length of the "leather" grip itself, not the putter. shaft. That's within the leather. I have had a couple conversations with the person who runs our league about this and nothing changes. I just live with it......

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Originally Posted by Nutter

I'm with you, if they hadn't so proudly stated it in the beginning I wouldn't have cared but that's a joke.  They were actually measuring the putts with their putters?  I didn't know people actually did that..

Sure.  As long as the rules don't mean anything, why not screw up the rim of the hole while you're at it?  Some people are just clueless.

When I played a Men's Club match at my home (public) course and we got paired up with a single or pair of casual golfers, we also warned them that we were playing by the rules.  In our case it was actually true.  Since the rules don't make any mention of "leather", gimme putts had to actually be conceded per the rules of match play.   (In fact, to agree to waive a rule like those 2 did with that "inside the leather" stuff is a disqualification penalty if you are actually playing by the rules)

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Not in my league.  It is good once it is in the hole.  We're playing stroke play.

Bag: Titleist
Driver: TM RBZ 9.5
Fairway metals: TM RBZ 3 wood
Hybrids: TM RBZ 3, 4 and 5
Irons: TM Burner 1.0 6 thru LW stiff steel shafts
Putter: Ping B60
Ball: TM Tour Preferred X or ProV1x
Check out littlejohngolfleague.com  A Greater Houston TX traveling golf league.

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Originally Posted by bkitt

I play in a league and we are all allowed to concede putts to our opponents just to keep up pace of play. My partner will concede putts in the 3-4 foot range left and right and it drives me NUTS. No one is giving me any putts.

Never concede a putt - Sam Snead

Conceding putts that are short doesn't help pace of play, stopping people from searching for their ball all the time does. More time is lost ball searching that hitting that putt 1 or 2 times.

KICK THE FLIP!!

In the bag:
:srixon: Z355

:callaway: XR16 3 Wood
:tmade: Aeroburner 19* 3 hybrid
:ping: I e1 irons 4-PW
:vokey: SM5 50, 60
:wilsonstaff: Harmonized Sole Grind 56 and Windy City Putter

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Yes and they were playing stroke, not match.

Can't tell you how many lips were jacked up when the guys would try to "stretch" their putter our to the ball.

This is at a private CC btw.  Replayed 18 later that day with a newcomer and had to explain why 10+ of the rims seemed to be scarred.

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Originally Posted by RickK

Not in my league.  It is good once it is in the hole.  We're playing stroke play.

Most of our tournaments were stroke play too, but we also had 3 season long match play brackets running too.  The Men's Club I was a member of is not a league, but a tournament club.  We play 15 tournaments (in addition to the matches) each year by the Rules of Golf.

Rick

"He who has the fastest cart will never have a bad lie."

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Originally Posted by RickK

Not in my league.  It is good once it is in the hole.  We're playing stroke play.

This is good to hear, I may be leaning towards Little John rather than the CC... lol

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That little tidbit of information changes your entire story.

Originally Posted by TJBam

Yes and they were playing stroke, not match.

Can't tell you how many lips were jacked up when the guys would try to "stretch" their putter our to the ball.

This is at a private CC btw.  Replayed 18 later that day with a newcomer and had to explain why 10+ of the rims seemed to be scarred.

Don

:titleist: 910 D2, 8.5˚, Adila RIP 60 S-Flex
:titleist: 980F 15˚
:yonex: EZone Blades (3-PW) Dynamic Gold S-200
:vokey:   Vokey wedges, 52˚; 56˚; and 60˚
:scotty_cameron:  2014 Scotty Cameron Select Newport 2

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Originally Posted by Yukari

That little tidbit of information changes your entire story.

Yes it makes it abundantly clear that they were in violation of yet another rule.. being that no putts should be conceded in stroke play.  Just added to the hilarity of the morning.

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Originally Posted by Fourputt

Most of our tournaments were stroke play too, but we also had 3 season long match play brackets running too.  The Men's Club I was a member of is not a league, but a tournament club.  We play 15 tournaments (in addition to the matches) each year by the Rules of Golf.

I guess technically we are a tournament "club" not a league.  We play 21+ events each year, by the Rules of Golf also.  Most all of them are played on different golf courses. Generally we do not play the same course twice in the same year except that our season ending 2 day event will be held on 2 courses we played during the year.  Probably why it is called a league.  When I joined years ago, it had the same name it does now of which part is "golf league".

Bag: Titleist
Driver: TM RBZ 9.5
Fairway metals: TM RBZ 3 wood
Hybrids: TM RBZ 3, 4 and 5
Irons: TM Burner 1.0 6 thru LW stiff steel shafts
Putter: Ping B60
Ball: TM Tour Preferred X or ProV1x
Check out littlejohngolfleague.com  A Greater Houston TX traveling golf league.

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I couldn't play in a league that allowed gimmes.  I don't mind it at all if it's a normal round but I don't want to worry about pissing someone off because I'm not giving them putts or some other guy on the course picking up 6 strokes in a round that came from his buddy spotting him 4 footers.

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Note: This thread is 3903 days old. We appreciate that you found this thread instead of starting a new one, but if you plan to post here please make sure it's still relevant. If not, please start a new topic. Thank you!

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